Page 143 of Always Love You More
“A fight?” His head tilts to the side. “Who’s your boyfriend?”
“Jameson.”
“Jameson who?”
“Huh?” I ask, my head beginning to swim.
“Baxston?” He steps back. “Is your boyfriend Jameson Baxston?”
“You know him?”
“Yeah,” he answers, putting more space between us. “Everybody knows him.” His face shifts, and he looks serious, or mad, or I don’t really know. Different, though. He looks different now.
He grinds out the last of the joint into the railing, and I frown.
“What’s wrong?”
“Are you here by yourself?” he questions. “Did you come with friends?”
I laugh. “Friends?”
“Jesus,” he hisses. “You’re Sam, right?”
“How do you know my name?” I back away from him. “Who are you?” Stumbling, I fall back, hitting my shoulder against the railing. “Ow,” I whine.
“Shit,” the guy says, leaning forward to help me up. “How much have you had to drink?”
“I’m fine,” I slur, trying to move away from him, but it feels like the space around me is spinning.
“I’m just gonna lay down,” I tell him, starting to lower myself to the ground.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” He steps forward. “You’re gonna fall.”
I push his hands away. “I can do it myself.”
“Just let me help you,” he grits out, guiding me until I’m sitting with my back against the railing. Once I’m in place, he hovers over me and takes out his phone. I try to listen to what he’ssaying, but the words are muffled and I can only make out little pieces.
“… your girl …”
“… the Donaldson house …”
“… I swear I didn’t know …”
He hangs up and begins to pace in front of me.
“You’re making me dizzy.”
He slows his movements, standing over me like a guard or something.
“Why are you being so weird?”
“I’m not.”
I lick my lips. “Yeah huh.”
My head lulls, and I blink, the space around me growing blurry. My body feels heavy as I lean my head back and rub my palms against my eyes, hoping that’ll make the pressure building behind them stop.
The sounds around me fade, and I let the darkness wash over me. Everything floats away, and it feels good to turn it all off.
